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The Maple Valley Historical Society is
an Incorporated Organization within the State of Washington and is
classified as a 501-C(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service
of the Federal Government. The organization is an all-volunteer
organization formed over 35 years ago. The goals of the organization
are to teach people about the history of the Greater Maple Valley area,
provide a means for people to do research on their heritage, and to
showcase the history of the area through maintaining three (3) museums
with displays of the past. The Society has a paid membership of over 300
people and organizations.

The three (3) museums are 1) located
within the King County Landmarked original Maple Valley School of which we will be vacating by the end of 2018 and the other two, on property owned by the City of Maple Valley. Our first museum in
the original Maple Valley School houses the main photo collection of the
Society as well as the primary offices of the Society. There are also
displays set up in this museum that depict the early lives of the
residents of the Greater Maple Valley area, as well as a room almost
solely dedicated to the history of the Tahoma School District. The Society has been notified by the Tahoma School District that we must vacate this building by the end of 2018. The Society is therefore in the process of building a storage building for the collection from this building on the site of the other two museums. We are also looking to increase our displays in both of the other museums.

The other
two museums are located next to the Maple Valley Community Center in
the heart of the City of Maple Valley and are the Gibbon-Mezzavilla
General Store and the Fire Engine museum. The Gibbon-Mezzavilla
General Store is the restored original store of the Greater Maple
Valley area that was frequented by early residents. The Fire Engine
museum houses the restored 1926 Howard Cooper Fire Engine which was the
original Fire Engine used by Fire District 43 Volunteers. In addition
to the Howard Cooper, there are displays depicting the early years of
the Fire District. The Gibbon-Mezzavilla General Store and the Fire Engine Museum are open the first Saturday of each
month from 10:00am to 2:00pm or by appointment. The original Maple Valley School Museum is no longer open to the public.

The Society provides
a History Treasure Box curriculum for the Tahoma School District third
graders. The curriculum provides for guided class tours of all of our
museums for the students, teachers and chaperons. Since the program’s
inception, we have had more than 1200 students participate in this
program.

The Society’s volunteers also provide free public
programs five (5) times each year. The programs are held at various
facilities around the Greater Maple Valley area to allow for handicap
accessibility and to generate the most interest by the groups that the
programs are geared too. In particular, the programs are geared to the
History of Maple Valley, History of Hobart, the annual Tahoma Alumni Picnic and to participate in and have the museums
open during Maple Valley Days each June. Every 3 months, the Society
publishes the Bugle which provides the membership with information
about the goings on within the society and historical facts about the
Greater Maple Valley area.

The Society has developed a great
working relationship with the City of Maple Valley. Since the City’s
incorporation in 1997, the City has strived to keep the area’s
Historical roots in perspective while still growing and changing. The
City’s vision statement specifically states that “maintaining historic
connections with the area’s rural past” is necessary. To that end, the
City has provided financial support for the ongoing utility costs and
insurance for the Gibbon-Mezzavilla General Store and the Fire Engine
museum that reside on their property.

The Society has several
publications about local history. Many of these have been written by
local volunteers and are available for sale to the general public at
the museums and during the free public programs. Some of these
publications include: One Hundred Years Along the Cedar River, Histories of Greater Maple Valley, The Cedar
River, Fire District 43, WWII Veterans from the Tahoma School District,
and anecdotal family histories.